Detachable heel



Allg. 27, 1940. W L BERNlER 2,212,655

` DETACHABLE HEEL Filed Dec. l5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 20 'Z6 :IL

w. 1 BERNIER 2,212,655

DETACHABLE HEEL Aug. 27, 1940.

Filed Deo. l5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1940 lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE HEEL Wilfrid L. Bernier, XGardner, Mass. Applieenen December 1s, 193s, serial 10.245.876

4 Claims.

This invention relates to detachable heels for boots and shoes and relates particularly to devices for detachably securing a tread portion or top lift to a shoe.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved construction in shoe heels and securing devices therefor, such that the tread portions or top lifts will be firmly held in place when in use but may be quickly and easily removed and replaced when so desired.

Preferred forms of my invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a portion of a woman's shoe with my improved tread portion or top lift xed thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, taken valong the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 but showing the par-ts of the heel in spaced relation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tread portion or top lift, looking in the direction of the arrow 20 3 in Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of my invention as embodied in a rubber heel; Y

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a metal plate shown in Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional side elevations of additional modications;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing an application of my invention to a mans shoe;

Fig. 9 is a plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the invention as embodied in a rubber heel for a mans shoe;

Fig. ll is a plan view of the metal plate used in the construction shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional side elevation of a further modification in a mans shoe.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, I have shown a portion of a womans shoe S having a permanent wooden or French heel H provided with a detachable tread portion or top'lift I0 which may be of any suitable material, such as leather.

The tread portion Ill is preferably recessed 45 at II to receive a steel plate I2, which in -turn is provided with-nails or studs il adapted to be driven into holes I5 in the wood heel H and tov and plate are assembled. The assembled unit of plate and nails is then forced against the tread portion or top lift I0 until the head portions II of the nails I4 are forced through the top lift, so that they may be clinched at their outer ends 5 if desired.

The parts described -then form a permanent assembled tread or top lift unit, which may be secured to the heel H byrpressure or by light hammer blows which will force the nails Il into l0 the holes I5.

When the part I0 becomes worn, the tread unit may be easily removed by inserting a screwdriven or other wedge above the part III. A new tread unit may then be quickly and easily sublo stituted.

If the plate I2 is of very thin metal, it may `be unnecessary to provide the recess II,as the plate may be seated directly against the top surface of the tread member. 20

As the tread members or top lifts Ill wear down, the clinched portions II'of the nails 20 will be bent further over, so that scratching of floors will be avoided. If the top lifts wearunevenly, they may be easily interchanged between the right 25 and left shoes, thus equalizing the wear and prolonging their useful life.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the assembled nails 20 and plate 2I are molded within a. rubber tread mem- 30 ber 22. The nail and plate construction is substantially the same as previously described, except that the extended head portions II are preferably omitted. 'Ihe embedded plate 2l is also preferably provided with relatively large holes 23 35 which become filled with rubber which is afterward vulcanized and firmly secures together the parts of the rubber tread member above and below the plate 2 I. The nails 20 have an additional restraining effect on the rubber and tend to keep the rubber tread member from expanding and projecting beyond the permanent part of the heel.

If the top lifts III or 20 are allowed to wear down excessively, the wood heel H and its leather covering will be protected by the plate I2 or 2|, so that even excessive wear of a top lift cannot injure the main part of the associated heel.

If the tread portion or top lift is to be of metal or of other sufliciently hard material, as indicated at 30 in Fig. 6, nails 3l may be provided' 50 having outwardly enlarged head portions 32, so that they will be firmly retained in the tread portions 30 as said portions wear down in thickness.

If a relatively thin metal tread plate is desired. 55

the construction shown in Fig. 'l may be used, in which nails 40 are inserted through a thin metal plate 4| and are firmly held by flanged heads 42 and collars 43, the construction being substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but without the rubber tread.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown my invention applied to the heel of a mans shoe S, where the tread portion 50 is of rubber, molded or cemented about a laminated attaching block 5I of wood. leather or other similar material. Flanged nails 52 are inserted and clinched in the block 5I, and the outer ends of the nails are received in holes 53 in the permanent heel portion 54 of the shoe S'. The edges of the heel portion 54 may be grooved or corrugated as indicated in Fig. 8, thus providing an irregular surface which tends to conceal the joint between the heel and the tread portion.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown another arrangement for detachably securing a rubber heel to a mans shoe S2. In this construction a'block 60 of laminated wood or other suitable material is molded in a rubber heel portion 6l which is then permanently attached to the sole 62 of the shoe S2 in any convenient manner, as by cement, or by nails, not shown.

The detachable rubber tread or top lift 64 is similar in construction to the rubber top lift 22 previously described and shown in Fig. 4, and preferably comprises a metal plate 65 having. nails 66 secured thereto by flanged heads 61 andi col-Y lars 68. The nails 66 are placed in a prearranged design and the block 60 in the permanent heel portion 6I is provided with similarly arranged holes 69, in which holes the nails 66 are inserted when the parts are assembled.

The plate 65 is preferably provided with holes 10 corresponding to the holes 23 in the plate 22 and for a similar purpose.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a leather heel lift 'I2 for a mans shoe, which is assembled with a plate 'I3 and nails 14 as in Fig. 2 but which has an additional leather tread portion or top lift 25 cemented to its outer surface, thus providing a detachable portion of double thickness as compared with Fig. 2, which is desirable on account of the greater area of a heel on a mans shoe.

In each form of the invention, the nails are arranged in a definite pattern and spacing, which is determined by the preformed holes in a metal plate as 22, or in a wood block, as 5I. As the pattern and spacing of the nails is always the same in a given type of heel, the nails in a new tread portion or top lift will fit the holes in the permanent part of the heel from which the nails holding a worn or used tread portion have been removed.

It is thus possible to easily apply a new tread portion so that it will be accurately positioned on the heel and will avoid the necessity of making new holes in the heel. This is an important advantage in the case of small wooden or French heels, which are apt to crack or break if more than one set of holes is made.

Having thus described several forms of my invention and the advantages thereof. I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed,

otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In an article of footwear having a permanently attached heel portion and having a detachable heel tread portion, that improvement which comprises the combination therewith of a substantially' rigid, laterally-extending member secured to said tread portion and having preformed apertures therein, and a plurality of nails secured in said apertures and each having an integral pre-formed flanged portion of substantial diameter relative to the diameter of said nail and engaging the face of said member remote from said heel portion and opposing the displacing stresses on said member, and each having a collar firmly secured thereon and engaging the opposite face of said member to prevent displacement of said nail when said member is in detached condition, said nails being received in corresponding holes in the permanently attached heel portion when the tread portion is assembled therewith.

2. In an article of footwear having a permanently attached heel portion and having a detachable heel tread portion, that improvement which comprises the combination therewith of a substantially rigid, laterally-extending member secured to said tread portion and having ypreformed apertures therein, and a plurality of nails secured in said apertures and each having an integral pre-formed flanged portion of substantial diameter relative to the diameter of said nail and engaging the face of said member remote from said heel portion and opposing the displacing stresses on said member, and each having a collar firmly secured thereon and engaging the opposite face of said member to prevent displacement of said nail when said member is in detached condition, said nails being received in corresponding holes in the permanently attached heel portion when the tread portion is assembled therewith, and said nails having extended head portions seated in said tread member and clinched at their outer ends.

3. In an article of footwear having a permanently attached heel portion, the combination therewith of a metal plate having attaching nails secured therein and received in holes in said heel portion, said nails each having an integral preformed flanged portion of substantial diameter relative to the diameter of said nail and engaging the face of said plate remote from said heel portion and opposing the displacing stresses on said plate, and each having a collar firmly secured thereon and engaging the opposite face of said plate to prevent displacement of said nail when said plate is in detached condition.

4. In an article of footwear, a heel portion permanently secured to said footwear and comprising a rubber lift with a laminated wood block molded therein and provided with holes in a prearranged pattern, and a detachable rubber tread portion having a metal plate and associated nails molded therein, said nails being rigidly secured in said plate in the same prearranged pattern and coacting with the holes in said permanent heel portion to detachably secure said rubber lift in position.

WILFRID L. BERNIER. 

